You don't need to work with rawhide. There are some nice kits out there for sheaths. You can check Tandy Leather for a couple examples. Prices from $5.99 to $9.99. The closest physical store from you for Tandy would be down in Winter Park, but there may be some other leather supply closer. Just a thought.
I just picked up a Kydex kit for 9.99. I don't feel like dealing with patterns, sewing, etc. right now. Might use leather for the next knife, though. Mom wants one, now.
Kydex is good stuff no complaints there. Leather work isn't too tough a lot like cloth just much tougher to put a needle through depending on the weight. I also play in the SCA. Think dressing up in funny clothes and playing sword fighting, either with blunted rapiers or rattan clubs. Kydex and leather are both heavily used for armor, mostly with the rattan fighting. People go the entire range from real grassroots efforts of making their own armor up to paying several thousand dollars for historically accurate plate armor, with football and hockey gear in between. I find it fun.
griffin729 wrote:
. I also play in the SCA. . I find it fun.
Glad to see another member of the currrent middle ages here. Not only did I learn how to do leatherwork and build armor, I can actually knit chain maille, which is a fairly arcane thing to do.
It takes a lot of time, too.
This is a neighbour of mine.
~South Paw Knives~
Makes some nice stuff!
He makes all kinds of interesting handles including ivory. I asked him about how legal it was to use ivory. He uses ancient Mammoth ivory collected in Alaska (they're already extinct so it's legal).
NYG95GA wrote:
griffin729 wrote:
. I also play in the SCA. . I find it fun.
Glad to see another member of the currrent middle ages here. Not only did I learn how to do leatherwork and build armor, I can actually knit chain maille, which is a fairly arcane thing to do.
I find a certain level of amusement when I mention either the SCA or SCCA to people in the other group. Maille does take time.
Good job so far Tommy.
You don't need to add a wooden or leather handle or such. Bare steel works just fine, and is a whole lot easier to clean.
You did a good job of cutting and shaping the knife, following the basic outline of a folding Buck knife.
Now, think about how you'd like another knife to work and fit. That one you did is a fine knife, but some other configurations may well work better for you.
So keep playing around with them, and see what sort of things strike your fancy.
shackles make pretty good knives for hog killing , also my OLFA blade fro m tinting is great for skinning and cutting thru cartilage .